Ravenstahl Wins Democratic Nomination, Heads to General Election Unopposed

The Democratic nominee for the Pennsylvania House District 20 seat is Rep. Adam Ravenstahl, with 3,248 votes cast in his favor in Tuesday's primary election.

Trailing the incumbent legislator with 2,077 votes was Ross resident and challenger Mark Purcell, according to the unofficial results of the Allegheny County Elections Division as of 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Purcell, a former Ross Township commissioner, had a strong showing in his hometown. He received 398 votes in the Ross Township districts to Ravenstahl's 291, with one precinct (Purcell's district) not reporting, according to results reported to the Ross Township Democrats Tuesday. 

In West View, the race was closer—a difference of less than 100 votes—but in Ravenstahl's favor, Ravenstahl said. Precise precinct numbers for the borough were not immediately available Tuesday night.

"I feel very happy with the results," Ravenstahl said. "I think I held my own in Ross. Mark has lived there for 40 years. We expected him to do well there." 

He said the West View results were an affirmation that he's been doing a good job. 

"West View is very big," he said. "I lost that last time." 

A third candidate who vied for the Democratic nomination, Dave Schuilenburg, of the North Side, received 448 votes, according to the unofficial results.

after an elections judge filed a complaint about the distribution of emery boards, used to file nails, at the Seville Fire Station. 

No Republicans ran on the primary ballot, meaning Ravenstahl heads into November's general election unopposed. 

Ravenstahl has held the House District 20 seat since he won it in a special election in June 2010. He was endorsed for re-election by the Allegheny County Democratic Committee and the Ross Township Democratic Committee. 

He also received endorsements by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Allegheny County Labor Council, the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, the Pennsylvania State Education Association, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers and State Rep. Dom Costa, among others. 

House District 20 encompasses parts of north Pittsburgh and parts of Ross and Reserve townships and West View Borough.

Other contested state election results Tuesday: 

* that pitted him against McCandless resident and incumbent Rep. Jason Altmire for the new 12th Legislative District, according to unofficial results.

Altmire received 1,816 votes in Ross Township to 704 for Critz, with three precincts missing as of about 10 p.m., according to results reported to the Ross Township Democrats.

*  to the 16th Legislative District of the Pennsylvania State House.

* .